One Sexy GMC Sierra

While it may seem simple, building a vehicle can be surprisingly difficult. We aren’t just talking about the amount of effort it takes to install a suspension or other parts. Sure, all of that takes time. But what can be even more difficult is knowing when to stop. Slap way too many parts on a vehicle, or choose the wrong ones, and the results can be downright gaudy. There is a thin line between a cleanly-built vehicle that looks awesome, and one that is over-accessorized with every widget imaginable. Often the biggest deciding factor between building something great or gaudy is a clear vision on what the end result should be.

That’s why when we saw this 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 4×4 we did a double take. It was extremely clean, looked great, and was still functional. There wasn’t a bunch of frivolous modifications hanging off it. This sexy Sierra has everything it needs and nothing it doesn’t. The vehicular equivalent of an In And Out burger: it is simple, uncomplicated, yet oh so tasty.

The reason for this simple but tasty result is that the GMC was built to be that way. Owned by Marco Alvarez, manager of 4 Wheel Parts’ Redondo Beach, CA store, the Sierra serves as his daily driver. In stock form, it is one luxurious ride filled with leather seats, a big infotainment center, plenty of space and power. However, being the manager of 4 Wheel Parts store with a bone stock truck is like running a Bass Pro Shops but hating the outdoors. It just doesn’t make much sense, so upgrades were in order.

While planning the modification of his truck, Alvarez was well aware that this is his daily driver. It has to get him to work every day, out to the desert on the weekends, and still serve as comfortable transport for him and his family. Therefore, there would be no giant lifts, noisy trail-only tires, or insane horsepower additions. A broken truck or one that isn’t nice to drive would be of no use to him. Instead, it had to be a clean build that was comfortable on the road, and more capable in the dirt than stock. The results speak for themselves. This is definitely one clean and mean machine.

We really like the stance and look of Alvarez’s GMC Sierra. Lifted 6 inches and rolling on 37s it is not sky high, but still completely useable as tow rig or for hauling anything in its bed.

To stand out from a sea of black wheels and add a bit of color to his ride, Alvarez took a set of Pro Comp 20-inch Series 44 Syndromes and powder-coated them ruby red. They definitely catch the eye and match the color of the GMC logos perfectly. Wrapped around the wheels is a set of Pro Comp 37×12.50R20 Pro Comp Xtreme MT2s. The tires are quiet enough to maintain the serene interior of the GMC while providing plenty of traction once it hits the dirt.

To gain some altitude, a Pro Comp Stage II 6-inch lift was put into place. The system uses MX 2.75-inch coilovers in the front and MX-6 shocks in the rear. In the rear, a combination of blocks and add-a-leaves are used to match the height of the front. The result is a truck that rides as nice as it did stock, but does a better job of absorbing bumps off-road along with looking great while cruising down the street.

A nice addition to the nose of the GMC is the N-Fab M-RDS Radius Pre-Runner front bumper. Tube style bumpers on modern trucks can be a bit tricky. They can leave exposed what was originally underneath the big factory front bumper. The N-Fab Radius bumper thankfully doesn’t have that problem. It keeps the clean, modern look of the GMC while offering better protection. It also creates the perfect place to mount a host of TrailMaster LED lights to illuminate the way after dark.

Dinging a new truck from rocks getting thrown up sucks. To keep that from happening, Alvarez installed a set of Bushwacker Pocket Style fender flares. They add 2 inches of additional tire coverage, and are a simple install. They came color-matched straight from Bushwacker, eliminating the need to paint them, and toughened up the Sierra’s looks.

Getting in and out of a lifted truck can be a chore if you have kids or a smaller significant other. Hauling around a trampoline for them to bounce into the truck really isn’t an option. To allow easier ingress, Amp Research Powersteps were installed. They automatically fold down when the door is open, and then retract out of the way when it is closed, keeping smaller people happy.

The crew at the Redondo Beach, CA store mounted another TrailMaster LED light bar behind the grille. It is out of the way and protected, but can still give off plenty of light–a cool feature.